Photo By Sgt. Ramon Cardoza | A U.S. Marine Corps wideband satellite-expeditionary assigned to 7th Communication...... read more read more
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CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan—Marines with 7th Communication Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, established a communication node at Camp Shields after displacing from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma during Kaiju Rain 26, May 8, 2026.
The training tested the Marines’ ability to rapidly establish and maintain communication networks while operating in austere environments. Kaiju Rain 26 focuses on sustaining command and control capabilities to support operations across the Indo-Pacific.
“The goal of Kaiju Rain 26 is to ensure command and control from anywhere on the island,” said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Luke Morton, a communications officer with 7th Comm Bn. “Whether that be humanitarian assistance, enemy activity, or any number of contingencies, this exercise gives III MIG the opportunity to practice our concept of employment.”
Marines established the node as part of a larger communications network designed to maintain connectivity between commanders and subordinate units. The network used multiple communication pathways to prevent disruptions if one system failed.
“This site is a single node in a communications network,” said Morton. “If one node is unable to perform its duty, we have other nodes able to take their place and make sure communication is not dropped at any point.”
Throughout the exercise, Marines ran cables, established generators and configured classified and unclassified communication systems to sustain operations.
“The work we do is both highly technical and highly physical,” said Morton. “My Marines are establishing communications abilities for information at classified and unclassified levels to be passed between leaders and key decision makers.”
The Marines also relied on organic power sources and provided their own security while operating the communication node to simulate real-world contingency conditions.
“If power goes out, I still need to be able to establish communication,” said Morton. “Bringing generators of my own means that our equipment is going to be able to run regardless of what happens.”
Kaiju Rain 26 is a III MIG-led exercise that integrates multi-domain information capabilities, strengthens the U.S.-Japan alliance and supports regional stability in the Indo-Pacific. Marines with 7th Communication Battalion maintain the communication pathways that connect commanders with Marines operating on the ground.
| Date Taken: | 05.11.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.12.2026 23:16 |
| Story ID: | 565101 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 29 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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